


A Moose In Every Car

by Eliyes



Category: due South
Genre: Gen, Trains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-27
Updated: 2013-09-27
Packaged: 2017-12-27 18:30:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/982203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eliyes/pseuds/Eliyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ray and Fraser take a train trip in Canada.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Moose In Every Car

**Author's Note:**

> Something I wrote travelling the train in February. Every detail in this is true to my experience. (Everything in here trademarked or copyrighted to other entities is so owned.)
> 
> This was originally posted on Livejournal March 12, 2012.

"Ooh, cashews," Ray Kowalski said, a copy of _VIA destinations_ open to the menu section.

"Ray." Benton Fraser's copy of the magazine was still in the mesh pouch on the back of the seat in front of him. Instead, he was holding the Safety Information pamphlet.

"They got Swedish Berries, too."

"Yes, I believe the smoothies are also from Sweden."

"Smoothies?!" Ray skimmed ahead to the beverage section. "Where's the -- oh. Mango or blueberry. It doesn't say anything here about the smoothies being Swedish, Fraser."

"If you look at this photo, Ray --"

Ray whipped on his glasses and peered at the picture.

"'mySmoothie 100% fruits et jus'," he read, correctly pronouncing the French, albeit with a Chicagoan accent. "'Produit avec amour en Suède'. That's 'made with love', right?"

"Yes, Ray," Fraser said patiently. Ray wrinkled his nose.

"Pre-packaged smoothies. That's kinda wrong. Hey, look, 'Certified fair trade tea or herbal tea: English breakfast, jasmine green tea, peppermint'. Fair trade coffee, too. That's good. That makes up for the 'muesli and raisin breakfast pita', almost."

"Ray," Fraser said, interposing the Safety Information pamphlet between his partner and the magazine.

"Yeah, okay," Ray said, and put it away. He leaned into Fraser to read over his pamphlet instead of grabbing his own. Fraser went over the contents, pointed out each emergency window, and also the position of each senior citizen and obvious minor in their passenger car, the better to render assistance in case of emergency. Ray commemorated the completion of this task with a rapid drum solo on his thighs.

"Hey, the moose," he said suddenly.

"I beg your pardon?" Fraser looked out the window, not really expecting to see a moose in the middle of the railyard, but one could never be sure.

"Fraser, the moose," Ray said, pulling his sleeve and flapping a hand towards the front of the train car. "The moose up there, that moose."

"Ah. The print. What about it, Ray?"

"I seen it before."

"Now that you mention it --"

"Is this the same train we were on last time, or is it in all the trains?"

"It's not the same train."

"Right, that one had those space-age single seat eggcups."

"The terrible thing is that I know what you mean."

"'Course you do, it's a good description. I wonder if it's in every car..."

Fraser preventatively hooked a hand through Ray's belt. "Don't leave your seat until they take our tickets."

Ray grinned at him, and Fraser hid a smile by rubbing his eyebrow.

"Let's play cards," he suggested.

"Sure," Ray agreed, and bounced out of his seat to fetch the pack in his carryon. "We'll save chess for later."

While he was up, the grandmotherly woman seated behind them took the opportunity to ask, "Are you nervous about taking the train, dear?" She had a faint Irish accent. Ray flashed her one of his split-second blinding smiles.

"No, I'm just excited to be heading home."

After Fraser dealt the cards for a game of Go Fish, Ray frowned and asked, "Do you think the smoothies really have blueberries, or is it just the usual mistranslation of the Swedish word for bilberries?"

Fraser covered his face with one hand and started to grin.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, [the moose](http://pics.livejournal.com/eliyes/pic/000e8sf2) _is_ in every passenger car, but not the dining car, and probably not in the sleeping cars.  (Photo credit Eliyes, February 2012.)
> 
> Special Extra! Cut from the fic, but funny enough to share:
> 
> "Canadia."  
> "Canada."  
> "Canuckistan."  
> " _Ray_."  
>  "Canada. Canada! I know, okay, I know it's Canada."


End file.
